Joachim vietheer



v(No Model.) Y J. VIETH-EER.

APPARATUS FOR UNGHAINING CATTLE.

No. 577,333. Patented Feb. 16,1897.

7 l I y '/NVENTe/ w/russsss. sr fw@ fe@ 7 A 7700/75 YS l v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

l JOACHIM VIETHEER, OF KOLLMAR, GERMANY. I

APPARATUS FOR UNCHAINING CATTLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,333, dated February 16, 1897.

Application filed June 24, 1896.

T 0 all whom, t .7n/ctr; concern:

Be it known that l, JOACHIM VIETHEER, master carpenter, of Kollmar, near Elmskron, Holstein, in the Empire of Germany, have invented an Improved Apparatus for Unchaining Cattle, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an apparatus for letting cattle loose by simultaneously uncoupling their respective chains in such cases, for instance, as when a iii-e breaks out in the stable and it is no longer possible to individually unchain the frightened animals.

In the accompanying drawings the apparatus constructed according to my said invention is represented.

Figure l shows the general arrangement of such an uncoupling apparatus, on the left in the coupled state and on the right in the uncoupled state. Fig. 2 shows a section on the line a3 a: of Fig. l to a larger scale.

Along the wall of the crib or manger I arrange several iron plates a, corresponding to the cattle-stall and possessing cachan aperture b. I provide on each plate a the clamping-jaws c c', one of which, c', is fixed and the other, c, is movable. Above these jaws a catch d is pivoted upon a bolt, this catch bearing upon the clamping-jaws c and c and.r holding them together by means of its nose d'. Immediately in front of this device a shaft e extends along the wall of the stable and is supported by brackets f. This shaft is in firm connection with tappets g at points corresponding to the plates a and the catch d, such tappets serving for the purpose hereinafter set forth. At one end of the shaft e is keyed a ratchet-wheel h,with which a pawl i engages, and the shaft e is furnished with a hand-Wheel 7c for operating the same.

The chains Z, designed to uncouple the animals, as a rule take up in pairs, by means 0f their rings m, a pin or bolt n, terminating in la ball o. vEach ball is inserted into a spherical recess p in the wall r and held therein with the aid of the clamping-jaws c c and the catch d.

In moments of danger or whenever all the animals are to be uncoupled at the same time the pawli is first disengaged from the ratchetwheel h. Then the shaft c is turned by means of the hand-wheel 7c in the direction of the Serial No. 596,767. (No model.)

movement of the hands of a clock,whereupon the tappets g will lift the catches d from their position of repose, thereby loosening the clamping-jaws c c and causing the pins or bolts 'n to be drawn from their recesses.

For enabling the animals already let loose to move about more freely one ring m, fixed to the chain Z, is made of such a large size that it can easily be drawn over the ball o of the bolt n, while the other ring is directly fastened to the bolt n, so that the first ring will slip off when two animals pull on being let loose.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. A device for unchaining animals, comprisin g a pair of jaws held on the crib, means for opening the jaws, a pin or bolt held in place by the said jaws, and chains connected with the said pin, one of the chains having a loose connection with the pin, to drop out of the latter when the pin is released by the jaws, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a support of a jaw fixed thereto, a second jaw pivotally mounted adjacent to the first jaw, a headed pin removably held by the two jaws, a catch capable of holding the movable jaw, a rotary shaft, and a tappet carried by the shaft and lifting the catch as the shaft turns, substantially as d'escribed.

3. The combination with a support having an orifice, of a jaw iixed adjacent to said orifice, a second jaw pivotally mounted adjacent to the first jaw, a catch holding the movable jaw, a headed pin projecting into the orice of the support and normally held by the jaws, a rotary shaft, and a tappet carried by the shaft and engaging the catch to release the pivoted jaw, substantially as described.

4. A device for unchaining animals, the device having a headed pin, means for removably holding the pin, a ring fixed to the end of the pin, and a second ring loose on the pin and confined by the xed ring, the second ring being capable of passing over the head of the pin, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOACHIM VIETHEER.

Witnesses GUs'rAv WEBER, ERNST BAUMHOFF. 

